Method of producing metals.



J. J. BOERICKEV.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

lit?

METEECD PEG application filed July 336, 1914; Serial No. 851,885.Renewed June 29, 191%. Serial it: all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. 'Bonnicirn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Marion, in the county of Montgomery and St t Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l /llethods ofProducing Metals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the reduction of metals and their alloysfrom ores and oXids or other metallic compounds by what is known as theexothermic process. The primary object or": this invention is thepro-Vision of a novel method of instituting and carrying out the exothermicreaction with a view of obtaining a superior product economically andwith rapidity. In the ac companying drawing I have shown in diagrammaticform apparatus which illustrates certain steps of my improved method,the figure being a sectional iew or? the crucible or container in whichthe reduction takes place.

In brief, the alumino-thermicprocess to which this invention relatesconsists in rcducing ores and metallic compounds by mixing with the oresaluminum, an alloy thereof, or some other agent having a strong aflinityfor oxygen, and, then in instituting a reaction by the ignition of aportionot" the mass. In carrying out my improved method, I take arelatively small quantity of the ore to be reduced and mix with it areducing agent, such as aluminum preferably in flaked form,'and I thenplace the mixture ;in a crucible or-container i" such as shown in thedrawing. I prefer to preheat the materials' and also the crucible andthis step, While not essential, has been found to materially improve thequality of the product produced...

The next step ofthe process is the institution or" the exothermicreaction, and this is done either by directly i iting a portion of themixture in the cruci 1e or by the use of a fuse or the like. After thisinstitution of the reaction, Ifeed into the crucible as fast as may berequired, a mixture of the ore and aluminum which I prefer to store in ahopper or receptacle 8 which is provided with a discharge spout 9controlled by suitable valve mechanism 10.. The mixture contained in thehopper may be the same as that already described, but} have found thatsuperior results are obtained by Specification. of Letters Eatent.Patter igel Aug, 2?, 19118,

filo. 2 2 664'.

using the'aluminum reducing agent in the form ot'ingots.

I am aware that it is Well known in this art to use powdered aluminum asa reducing agent, and that exothermic processes per 86 'are old.However, in carrying'out the proc- .ess'heretofore known, the cruciblesor containers have been practically filled with a mixtureot' thecompound and the powdered aluminum, and the endothermic reaction hasbeen instituted on the surface of the mixture and spreads downwardlythrou h the n'iass. By my process, however, only small quantity, of themixture is placed in the,

" and then feed thereto additional quantities,

the amount of which can be fully controlled by the operator. Among theparticular advantages of the method are that the'orescan be reduced infar larger quantities ata time, and with greater rapidity, and at thesame time the quality of the product obtained is greatly improved and auniformity in product obtained throughoiua number of successiveoperations, the importance of which willbereadily seen Where it isnecessary to produce a large quantity of a given .metal containingcertain specified percentages of the various constitutents. In securingthe foregoing results and advantages, the feeding of the material to bereduced under control has an important bearing as T operative conditionsvary considerably, and by my method an-experienced operator cansuccessfully meet such changes in condition .with uniform results.

Another advantage of my improved process is that, because of the mannerin which the reaction is carried out, a reater quantity of the mixtureire-subject to the action or" the atmcsphere,'the result o-l which isthat more oxygen is supplied and the impurities A f. 1 l i one havingeonsideieoie cross eectiouui as opposed to the nui'i'ow and deepcrucibles, so that the i'eeciion 1S ex ended over a greater area,thereby erzposi g iiie mass $30 the action of the utincsfighei'e andeiiminetiiig the impurities which etiieizwise would remain in theprecinct,

' cieiiu e i The herein described process of reduc eteiiic compoundswhich consists in autiiw mixture of the compouuei to be reucec andaluminium and +lieu iii fee-fling 10 the ieiuieci ziiuteiiei a i i, com-33011112 and aluminum under cezi'eici 59 time; Hie reaction isiiistituied from beneath up- 7 The herein described steps in the ex:-otiieiinic process of reducing metallic conimug which consist in piecingu ieiutiveiy i uuuui'iiey of mixture of the compo- Ki educed, anduiuiuiuuiu in 21 {TU Y an euothei-iu' -cticii ure um} in feed Queceiupouiui to be i] SW2 i eii quimtixty of :1 mixture the compounci moin reduceci and a reducing agent in a crucible, in instituting anexothermic reaction in such mixture and in "feeding thereto undercontrol a mixture of the compound to be reduced and u reducing agent.

The herein described process of reducingmetuiiic compounds whichconsists in mi... cg ilie compound with flaked aluminum, in institutingin exot nermic reaction in such iiiix bui'e and. in'adciing theretoquantities of Joeu J. BGERICKE.

the compound and ingot

